Extensible markup language (XML) is increasingly becoming the preferred format for transferring data. XML is a tag-based hierarchical language that is extremely rich in terms of the information that it can be used to represent. For example, XML can be used to represent information spanning the spectrum from semi-structured information (such as one would find in a word processing document) to generally structured information (such as that which is contained in a table). XML is well-suited for many types of communication including business-to-business and client-to-server communication. For more information on XML, XSLT, and XSD (schemas), the reader is referred to the following documents which are the work of, and available from the W3(World Wide Web consortium): XML Schema Part 2: Datatypes; XML Schema Part 1: Structures, and XSL Transformations (XSLT) Version 1.0; and XML 1.0 second edition specification.
With so much information being described and transferred through XML, it is increasingly important to have ways to view that information. One way to view information in an XML document is to transform it with an XSLT file into an HTML (or XHTML) document. HTML documents can be used to render, or view, information, such as information from an XML file. Using XSLT, rather than other transforming languages, is often preferred because XSLT is a W3C standard.
One purpose for using an XSLT file to transform an XML document is to create electronic forms. Electronic forms can be used not only to view information within an XML document, but also to allow a user of the electronic form to add, remove, or change information within the XML document by editing data in a data-entry field within the electronic form.
Currently, to create an HTML document (e.g., an electronic form) that renders information within an XML document, a programmer writes an XSLT file to transform the XML document into the HTML document. The programmer, however, must have a high degree of skill in programming XSLT to program an XSLT file, especially to create an electronic form.
Also, even with a high degree of programming skill, programming an XSLT file can be very time consuming and difficult. It can be difficult and time-consuming because an XSLT programmer cannot see the HTML document that he is creating as he is creating it. The programmer, rather, must complete an XSLT file and apply it to an XML file before he can see the view created with the resulting HTML document. Even with the view, each mistake made by the programmer, such as the style, layout, and structure of the view, can be very difficult to relate back to the mistake made in the XSLT file, further complicating programming of XSLT files to create HTML documents.
The data-entry fields in an electronic form can be quite diverse in nature, including fields into which are entered simple text, numeric fields, data fields, table with numerous row and column entries, dates, rich text, hyperlinks, and graphics. A programmer of significant skills is required to program an error-free XSLT file from which will be created an electronic form having data-entry fields for entry of diverse data types.
For these reasons, creating electronic forms and other HTML documents by transforming an XML document with an XSLT file is difficult, time consuming, and requires a high degree of skill.